Firewire
by HyperGinger
Summary: Volkner is forced to join his school robotics club and fears being seen as a geek. It's up to Flint to show him why that's not a bad thing. Rated M for later chapters. Ignitionshipping high school AU. I say "AU," but there are still Pokémon in this, so...
1. Chapter 1

For reference:

Electrical incontinence – A condition in which an Electric-type can't control its power well and accidentally discharges electricity when startled or threatened. It's typically seen in young Electric-types like Pichu or Elekid, but the problem can persist into higher stages of evolution as a result of a Pokémon being anxious or high-strung and can be overcome with increased confidence and maturity. Older Pokémon who suffer from this condition usually feel embarrassed by it.

Chassis (pronounced "chassee") – The basic metal skeleton of a robot or machine.

Capacitor – A small piece in a circuit that stores energy.

Transistor – A device in many electronics that amplifies or switches electrical signals.

(The last three aren't overly important to know; I just thought some readers might be curious.)

* * *

"Okay, class dismissed. Have a nice weekend, everyone! Oh, Volkner, can I see you after class for a bit?" Volkner jolted from his half-asleep state, wiping a bit of drool from his mouth and opening his tired eyes. He lazily slung his backpack over one shoulder and trudged to the front of the room, barely moving aside to avoid the flow of students, all of whom waved or said goodbye to the well-loved teacher.

"Yes, Ms. Cynthia?" he muttered lazily, his voice still scratchy from fatigue. The woman stood from the chair behind her desk and drew up to her full, impressive height.

The teacher looked down and gave Volkner a benevolent smile, gray eyes shining with concern. "Volkner, I'm sure you've seen your test grades recently, and you can see which direction they're going." At this, the woman paused, but Volkner did not interrupt. Dismayed by the youth's blank stare, she continued. "You're a smart young man with a bright future ahead of you, and I want to help you reach your full potential. To do that, we need to get your grades up."

Cynthia waited patiently again, but Volkner remained silent and motionless aside from his occasional blinking. Even that movement seemed like an afterthought. She crossed her arms. "Volkner, what's wrong? You were so animated at the beginning of the year. You LOVED physics and did extremely well, but your grades have plummeted. You usually don't come to class, and when you do, you sleep through it half the time. What's happened to you?" Cynthia's worry began to show on her face, and Volkner blinked again, seeming to focus a bit at last.

"I'm...I don't know, I'm just bored." Volkner shuffled his feet. "Everything's so easy. Why should I bother? It's not fun anymore."

The teacher's eyebrows rose at this. "So, the issue is just that you're not being challenged?" Her student nodded after a bit of hesitation. A grin lit up Cynthia's face. "I know just where you'll fit in. Have you heard of 'Firewire'?"

Volkner wrinkled his nose. "You mean our school's robot-building team? The one with all the geeks?"

Cynthia let out a cheerful laugh. She placed one hand on her hip and leaned against the back of her chair with the other, finally relaxing a bit. "The very same! Our team is in need of a good mechanic, and judging by how well you liked our Electricity and Circuitry chapters, you'd be perfect!"

It was clear the woman wanted to continue, but Volkner was already shaking his head frantically. "No, no thank you, ma'am. I'm NOT joining that club, no way. The kids there are...uh..." Cynthia raised an eyebrow, challenging him to finish his sentence. "Well...they're...different, that's all..."

Cynthia simply looked amused. "No offense, Volkner, but you're a little different yourself. Everyone's a bit strange in their own ways. I really think you'll be pleasantly surprised. The next club meeting is after school today in room 112."

Offended and exasperated, Volkner tightened his fists. This was NOT happening. "And if I refuse?"

At this, Cynthia's kind smile turned calculating as she said, "Well, it's up to you. I can't force you to go." She looked down at her desk and straightened a few papers. Volkner thought that was the end of it, but she wasn't done. "You know, Volkner, I saw your father at conferences last term. A military man, is he not?" Volkner nodded warily, and the teacher hummed a bit. "Seems like the strict type, if you don't mind my saying so. Come to think of it, I bet he wouldn't be too happy if it turned out that his son was, oh, I don't know...failing his physics class." The woman's eyes narrowed, and her tone turned sly. "Of course, he wouldn't HAVE to find out. Not really. You understand, don't you, Volkner?"

The boy paled. She had him.

* * *

Volkner lumbered to his locker and exchanged his backpack for one of his Poké balls, releasing a somewhat skittish-looking Raichu. The electric mouse sniffed and glanced around a bit before looking quizzically up at his trainer.

"I know you don't like strangers, buddy, but I need your help today. We're gonna be surrounded by total weirdos, and I don't want to face this alone. Do you understand?" Confused, the Pokémon cocked his head a bit but nodded anyway and smiled at his owner. "Thanks, Raichu." Volkner bent down to scratch behind Raichu's ear, then stood up again and sighed.

Volkner tried to walk as slowly as possible to room 112 after school, but the time had finally come. "Well, here goes." Bracing himself, Volkner pushed the door open.

The first thing he noticed was the noise. He'd expected it to be all whirring machinery, but most of it was from people talking...and there were a LOT of them. Instead of having seven or so students as he had expected, the room must have contained about thirty people, all in groups talking animatedly. Some of them had their Pokémon out to help with their various chores. Shaking off his slight surprise, Volkner stepped hesitantly into the room. The others barely looked at him, clearly preoccupied with their tasks.

"Ah, you must be Volkner!" He was startled from his reverie by a jolly, booming voice. Raichu quickly shuffled to hide behind his legs. The boy found the source of the voice: a tall, scruffy-looking blonde man in a green jacket. The man jogged to Volkner's side, meeting his disinterested scowl with his own jovial grin. "Hi! I'm one of the supervisors for the team. You can call me Palmer. Cynthia told me you'd be coming today. Wonderful teacher, isn't she?"

_Evil, despicable witch,_ Volkner couldn't help but think to himself. _She just has everyone fooled! _He didn't voice his thoughts.

"So you're interested in joining Firewire, eh?"

Volkner sighed for about the tenth time that day. "...Something like that."

Oblivious to the sarcasm, the man grinned and put an arm around Volkner, guiding him forward. "Haha! Wonderful! I can tell you'll fit right in. Let me show you around!"

With one last longing glance at the door, Volkner abandoned all hope of escape and accepted his fate as he was led toward the first group of people. Raichu trailed slightly behind, his tail twitching in agitation.

"Lucian!" Palmer called to a tall, purple-clad student. "This is the new member I told you about earlier! Volkner, this is Lucian. He's the team's treasurer."

Lucian pushed his tinted glasses up on his nose and smiled smugly. "A pleasure to meet you. Volkner, is it not?" the man asked, walking forward and invading Volkner's personal space. Jeez, why was he so close?! Lucian offered a hand in greeting.

Volkner twitched a bit. "Uh, same." Lucian's grip was cold but firm, and he held on slightly longer than Volkner would have liked. Something about the man was...unsettling. Seriously, he was WAY too close.

Lucian was either unaware of Volkner's discomfort or just didn't care, and he said smoothly, "My duties for the team involve dealing with finances. I keep track of our spendings and create budgets," he continued, gesturing to an Espeon on a nearby desk, who lifted a rather detailed-looking notebook with Psychic. "I also delegate where we can spend our earnings, which we obtain through—"

"HEY, WANNA BUY SOME INCENSE?"

Volkner yelped and recoiled in panic, almost tripping backward over his Raichu, who seemed equally displeased about the commotion. The poor electric mouse had his paws over his ears. An energetic, dark-haired girl with a catalog in her hands had pushed her way past Lucian, inserting herself into the conversation—both literally and figuratively.

Palmer gave a good-natured laugh. "Perfect timing, Candice. Volkner, Candice helps out with fundraising, along with Gardenia, who is...right behind you."

"What?"

An orange-haired young woman popped up out of nowhere behind Volkner, startling him and his Pokémon. "HOW ABOUT AN OLD GATEAU?!"

"Raichu, don't!"

_BZZZZZZZZZT!_

In a selfless act, Volkner quickly dropped down and enveloped his Raichu in a makeshift embrace, taking the electric attack point-blank to shield his companions. A few wayward sparks still escaped, but the others didn't seem hurt.

Palmer bent down to the student once the electricity had fizzled out and placed a tentative hand on his back. "Volkner, are you alright? That was some shock..." He received a glare as Volkner stood up slowly, gritting his teeth in pain and holding the panicked Raichu in his arms protectively. He regained his bearings as the last of the sparks dissipated uncomfortably from his body.

"I'm fine," he spat tersely. He turned on Gardenia, fuming. "Why'd you scare Raichu like that?! That was really rude!"

She backed up defensively. "I was just being friendly! It's not my fault your Pokémon has electrical incontinence!"

Raichu whimpered, and his big, brown eyes welled up with tears of embarrassment. If Volkner was fuming before, he was livid now. "Don't you dare talk about him like that! Of course he's going to discharge when you—"

There was a swift movement at his right side as Volkner was quickly yanked by the arm away from the budding confrontation. A forceful, hasty voice spoke from next to Volkner's ear. "OKAY, then! Thanks for introducing him to the others, Palmer. I'll take it from here!"

Volkner had to hobble backward as he was dragged to a somewhat secluded corner of the room near a row of sinks. He was just gathering his bearings as the person gripping his arm firmly but gently pushed him to sit on the ground, and Volkner blinked, seeing a scrawny man about his age sit down across from him. He wore a bright yellow shirt, ridiculously baggy pants, flip-flops, black wristbands, and a pair of red suspenders...that he wasn't using. This was all topped off with a cheeky grin and a bright red afro.

Volkner raised an eyebrow. What a weirdo. Wasn't anyone in this club even remotely normal?

He expected the red-haired man to introduce himself, but he surprised Volkner by instead addressing Raichu, who was still shivering a bit in Volkner's arms. "Hey there, little buddy. You look a little shaken. That was a pretty strong Charge Beam back there, huh? Here, I think I have something for ya. Just a sec..."

Volkner exchanged a confused look with his Pokémon. He watched his companion pull something yellow from his pocket, secretly impressed the man had recognized Raichu's move, especially when it hit point-blank like that. He must know a thing or two about Electric-types; most people just assumed Thunderbolt whenever they saw any type of electric attack.

The redhead held out a small, speckled poffin in front of Raichu's face and smiled gently. "Here, try this." The orange Pokémon sniffed at the poffin for a moment in contemplation and gave a perplexed whine.

Volkner sighed. "Sorry, Raichu doesn't trust strangers. He only eats my—"

_Chomp_

"...cooking?" The pitch of Volkner's voice rose in bewilderment as Raichu munched contently at the food with a happy squeak. He opened his arms so his Pokémon could move forward and eat more freely.

The other man gave a smug smirk. "You were saying?" Raichu finished eating out of his hand, and the man scratched behind its ear as it nuzzled his hand slightly. It wasn't long before the electric mouse was sitting in the redhead's lap contently.

Volkner found his voice. "How'd you know what to feed him? Raichu's really picky."

The man chuckled as he pet Volkner's Pokémon. "Electric-types LOVE this type of poffin. My Electabuzz eats 'em right up." Volkner perked up at this excitedly.

"You raise Electric-types? That's so great! There's no one to talk to about them with around here," he borderline gushed.

"I mostly raise Fire-types. Even my Electabuzz has Fire Punch; I just like having someone around to take care of the Water-types and surprise my opponents, y'know?" Seeing his acquaintance deflate a bit, the man changed the subject. "I'm sorry the girls back there were so awful. Gardenia really did mean well; I'll have to talk to them about that." He sighed and looked back down at the Raichu in his lap, who had finally calmed down. "They should know Electric-types are always skittish. They just have so much energy in them, you know? Raichu, that was completely natural for you to do. You don't have to feel embarrassed," he reassured, tickling the electric mouse lightly underneath the chin.

Volkner had actually forgotten where he was for a few minutes, and his scowl returned when the others were mentioned. Right, this guy was just another geek, too. Raichu didn't seem to mind. Traitor. Volkner pouted.

The strange man looked back up at him with a lovable grin. "By the way, my name's Flint. I'm the captain of the team, and I help build the robots."

Volkner was speechless. This guy, the captain?! He didn't even look like he could control his own hair, much less an entire team!

"Well, I should get back and introduce you to the rest of the guys, but first..." Flint gently placed Raichu on the tiled floor and stood up, turning on one of the sinks. Volkner cocked his head in confusion. Flint wet his hands and shook off the excess moisture, then knelt close to his new friend and reached his warm, calloused hands into Volkner's blonde spikes, running his long fingers briefly through the strands to distribute the water. "...thanks to Raichu's Charge Beam, your hair kinda looks like mine right now."

Volkner stiffened, but didn't move. He knew well what static could do. Besides, this wasn't too bad. It...actually felt kind of nice.

"Hey, get a room, you two!"

"Who's your new boyfriend, Flint?"

Volkner's eye twitched in annoyance, and Flint shot back, "Hey, screw you guys! You're just mad you can't get laid!" He looked sheepishly back at Volkner and withdrew his hands. "Sorry about that. I just came out, and my friends won't shut up about it."

Oh, great. "So they're homophobic, then," he said quietly, trying to seem detached about it. Well, here was another place he'd have to stay closeted.

"Oh no, not at all!" Flint objected. "They completely accept me. That's just how they show affection. By the way, what do you do to prevent static in your hair, anyway?"

Volkner hid his relief. "What do you mean? I just kind of live with it."

"Well, it might seem a little weird, but try this..." Flint pulled a tube of hand lotion out of his pocket. _Damn, maybe that's why he wears those ridiculous pants. How much can he store in those pockets?!_ Oblivious to Volkner's thoughts, Flint squeezed out a bit from the tube and rubbed his hands together thoroughly, then reached for Volkner's hair again and lightly touched the tips of it, slightly coating them in the lotion. What the hell was he doing?! Man, this guy was weird...

"Now, I know this seems odd—" _You're damn right it does, _"—but it really works. You only need to use a bit, but it weighs down on your hair and counters a lot of the static." His tone was clinical, and his eyes—which Volkner now noticed were a cool gray—were focused entirely on his task as he leaned over him. Volkner mentally shook himself, reminding himself to pay attention; this actually seemed like it might be useful. "I know it looks like I know nothing about hair, but you should see this thing in the morning before I fix it," Flint grinned, pulling back his hands again to point at his mass of hair. He scooted back on his heels to give Volkner a little space. "Alright! Now that your hair looks awesome again, wanna meet the others?"

He honestly didn't, but Volkner nodded, and they stood up to approach Flint's teammates. Raichu sauntered jauntily behind his owner and his new favorite human.

The three approached a small group that was gathered around a table piled high with a myriad of tools and materials. A primitive chassis sat in the middle of the table. The robot consisted of only a metal skeleton, a motor, a circuit board, and some stray wires. Volkner cringed internally, already spotting several flaws in the design. A few of the students around this table had been the ones teasing Volkner and Flint earlier. "Volkner, these guys are the core building team." He first gestured to a boy with glasses and a mining helmet—were those allowed in school?—who was comparing different sheets of metal and bending them rather aggressively alongside his Geodude. He placed the more malleable ones back on the table and nodded sagely at the strongest one. He was focusing so intently that he didn't look up until he heard his name. "This is Roark. He's in charge of designing the defensive portions of the units. Competitions can get pretty intense, and it's his job to make sure nothing breaks."

Roark looked up, startled, and reached out to shake Volkner's hand firmly. "Nice to meet you. Palmer said you were going to be building our circuits." The helmet-clad man adopted a serious expression. "I'll make sure to build a strong defense to protect them!"

"I never said I would...ugh, never mind," Volkner gave up lamely.

"Roark's dad, Byron, was on the team back when he was in high school," Flint elaborated. "He was famous for building some of the sturdiest robots in the history of the competition. He claims even his Bastiodon couldn't smash them." Flint raised his eyebrows with discreet skepticism at the last bit.

Roark came to his father's defense (no pun intended). "Well, it's true!" he said emphatically, ignoring Flint's chuckle. The boy grinned sheepishly. "I guess Dad's love of defense kind of rubbed off on me," he admitted, adjusting his glasses. He was clearly impatient to return to his work, so Flint placed a hand on Volkner's shoulder and led him farther along.

_Well, he's another geek, _Volkner thought, _but I guess he's alright._

Next in line was a girl with pink hair who wore blue spandex, gloves, and...wait, was she barefoot?! _That's...not sanitary,_ Volkner noted mentally. So far, this group was breaking at least two dress code rules and possibly committing a health code violation. The pink-haired girl was inspecting a complex blueprint. Flint interrupted Volkner's train of thought.

"This is Maylene. She devises strategies for playing the games and maps out the designs," he explained.

"Nice to meet you, Volkner!" she said excitedly, grabbing his hand and shaking it enthusiastically. He nodded in acknowledgment and visibly winced at her strong grip. "I'm pretty sure I've organized things so they'll work with the wiring, but let me know if there's a problem!"

"Sure thing," he said, feeling a little wimpy. He reminded himself that he should probably start working out or something, discreetly shaking out his hand behind his back. _Ouch. Well, at least she's friendly,_ he thought. Maybe these guys would be alright.

Flint must have spotted his hand-wringing, because he snickered a bit. He leaned in and whispered, "Yeah, that's the usual reaction." Volkner felt only marginally better. "Alright, who's next...ah, Thorton! I'd like you to meet—"

"Oh, we've met," came a nasally voice. Volkner turned around and saw a familiar, short boy with a bizarre black hairdo and a haughty glare. Oh, great.

"You have?" Flint questioned. Volkner spoke up.

"We're in the same physics class," he said simply, hoping he didn't have to expound. Unfortunately, Thorton did it for him.

"You see, Volkner thinks he's too good for our class. He's always napping or skipping." The boy sniffed and crossed his arms. "I'm surprised he can even pass."

Flint's eyes widened, and his expression showed surprise and disappointment. "Volkner, is that true? You don't seem like the type..."

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Volkner glared at Thorton and defended himself coldly. "It's an easy class. Why should I bother trying?"

Before Thorton could speak up, Flint interrupted to diffuse the tension, changing the subject hastily. "Uh...anyway, Thorton's our main driver; we have two others, but he's usually in charge. He's also been doing the wiring since we haven't had a specialist. Say, what are you working on?"

Thorton clearly wasn't over the animosity, but he didn't want to argue with his captain, so he moved on. He picked up a small, gray handheld unit with a single antenna and several buttons and levers. The back was bare, revealing the wires and circuit board within. "I'm almost done with this controller. I'm just having one problem; the robot moves left instead of right, and vice-versa..."

"We should make it so it can't turn left and nickname it 'Zoolander!'" Maylene called in a snarky tone.

"NOT HELPFUL, MAYLENE," Thorton snapped. "We can adjust our steering styles if we must, but it's counter-intuitive. I won't tolerate clunky technology," he finished harshly.

Flint reached out tentatively. "May I?"

"Of course, not that it'll be an easy fix," the boy said self-assuredly.

Flint inspected the back of the unit for a moment, but his expression quickly turned frustrated. "Yeah, I got nothin'. Sorry, pal." He was about to hand it back to Thorton, but Volkner interjected.

"Can I see it?"

"Sure!" Flint responded quickly before Thorton could reject him.

Volkner carefully took the controller, flipping it over with a bored expression. He looked for a problem, but everything was lined up properly, right to the last capacitor. Unless...

Thorton and Flint looked at him curiously as he approached the robot on the table, inspecting it briefly. He nodded. "Your controller's fine; you just have the wheels wired backward. See? Right here." He pointed to the mistake, and Thorton's eyes widened comically. Volkner tweaked the wires, reattaching them. "Try it now."

Thorton snatched the controller from Volkner's hands, switched it on, and fiddled with the levers for a second. Sure enough, the unfinished robot responded correctly. Flint laughed and exchanged a high-five with his new teammate. "See, Volkner? You'll do great! You're already fixing things!" Volkner couldn't help but smile a bit when Thorton's jaw dropped.

The operator snapped his mouth shut again promptly in an attempt to retain his dignity. "Hmph. A lucky break from an amateur. Don't expect that to happen again."

"Oh?" Ah, a challenge at last. "I thought you didn't like 'clunky technology.' I mean, if you really don't want my help, I suppose you can put up with it, then. It's up to you."

Thorton narrowed his eyes and regarded his rival suspiciously. "I don't appreciate you calling my technology 'clunky.' Attempt to help if you must, but you won't be finding anything I've missed, I can assure you of that."

"Mhm. Sure," Volkner responded smugly. He looked back at the metal skeleton from the corner of his eye. "Say, have you ever noticed your robot just stops sometimes or doesn't go too quickly?" Thorton choked on whatever he was going to say in response. "I bet it bears right, too, doesn't it? That can't be good for handling...oh, and what's this? Have you been having trouble keeping it going for more than thirty seconds?" he teased with a smirk.

Thorton gulped and sputtered at the blatant innuendo. "Well...I..."

"'Cause I bet I can keep it going much longer." Volkner couldn't help but feel satisfied when he noticed Flint shaking next to him from holding in his laughter.

The captain threw one arm around Volkner amicably and wiped tears from his eyes with his other. "Thorton, I don't think it could hurt to let him help out a bit. What do you say? Can't hurt to test out his endurance, eh?" he said. He smirked at Volkner, and they both snickered. Even Raichu was smiling and wagging his tail; he didn't completely understand what was going on, but this was the happiest he'd seen his owner in months.

The shorter boy kept his head down, fighting back a blush. "...You two are going to get along just perfectly, because you're both shameless perverts! Fine, do what you want. Just don't screw. I-I mean, don't screw anything up!" He flounced away. It was all the two could do not to burst out laughing.

* * *

Volkner was surprised at how quickly the time passed. With Thorton busying himself elsewhere, the rest of the builders proved themselves to be great company. Volkner was introduced to the other two drivers, a pair of freshmen twins named Lucas and Dawn. Before he knew it, he was halfway done solving the problems he had pointed out with the bot, and Flint stood up from his seat next to Volkner to interrupt the group's animated conversation about transistors.

"Alright, guys. We got a lot done today," he said, grinning pointedly at Volkner, "but it's almost three o'clock already. We'd better get going before the janitors kick us out again." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and Volkner got the idea that that happened frequently. Some light laughter from the others confirmed his theory.

Volkner stopped suddenly, looking down at his section of the metal frame. He wasn't done. He was just starting to get into it, too...

Unbeknownst to Volkner, Flint took note of his sullen expression and waved the others out silently, quietly wishing them a nice weekend before he plopped back down next to Volkner on the bench where he sat with the robot. He turned sideways, straddling the bench to face his companion.

"So how'd you like it?" he asked with an encouraging smile. Volkner blinked, snapping out of his reverie.

"It was...actually kind of fun. I didn't finish, though."

Flint's smirk only grew. "Well, that just means you'll have to come back next week, eh?"

Volkner allowed a small smile at that. "I guess I have no choice," he said with a twinge of sarcasm. He put the robot back on the table and twisted to face his captain, straddling the bench just as Flint was. "Thanks for helping me out. With...y'know, calming down and adjusting and everything."

Flint pumped his fist in the air with a proud, goofy pose. "That's just what the captain is here for!"

Volkner laughed under his breath, then averted his eyes self-consciously. "Yeah, well, I really appreciate it either way. If it weren't for you, I probably would have punched someone. Sorry about that."

Flint's silly smile faded. "It's not your fault. Aw, crap, that reminds me! I have to catch Gardenia and talk some sense into her about that. Ah, I need to hurry if I want to catch her. So I'll see you again, then?" he questioned hopefully.

Volkner nodded and beamed. "You can bet on it."

Flint's eyes lit up again, and he roughly tousled Volkner's hair with one hand and swung a leg over the bench. "See you next week, then, Volk!" he called as he jogged out the door with a smart wave.

Volkner cocked an eyebrow at the nickname and reached his own hand into his hair where Flint's hand had been, patting it softly. He heard Raichu squeak sadly at his feet, reaching out a small paw after Flint's retreating figure. He laughed fondly and lifted Raichu into his lap. He scratched the orange mouse under his chin just as Flint had, and his Pokémon relaxed at the treatment. "Don't worry, Raichu. I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of Flint from now on." His Pokémon squeaked with joy at the news.

Maybe geeks weren't so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Short chapter this time around!

For reference:

Soldering iron – A small mechanism used to melt bits of metal so they can be fused together. Often used for small repairs in mechanical equipment. It's kind of like welding. "Soldering" is pronounced "soddering" in the U.S. and phonetically elsewhere.

(Don't worry, this isn't all that important.)

Volkner tapped his foot restlessly and stared at the second hand. Couldn't the clock move any faster? The other kids in his class were still frantically scribbling away, but he had finished his test ten minutes ago.

Cynthia noticed Volkner's impatience and smiled to herself. Every Friday was like this these days, and she knew why. Turning back to her desk, she finished grading his test on Forces.

Another perfect score for her star pupil. These two months had worked miracles for the boy.

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. The other students groaned, desperately trying to finish their last questions. Meanwhile, Volkner hopped from his seat and swung his bag over his shoulder. He fast-walked out of the room. It was fairly obvious he was trying not to look like he was running, and he just barely remembered to wave goodbye to his favorite teacher before he left the classroom.

Volkner weaved his way expertly between the other students and tried to unlock his locker, messing up twice in hasty excitement. He shoved his backpack in and whipped out a Poké ball, releasing its resident.

"Ready for today's Firewire meeting, Raichu?" The electric mouse responded with a squeak as he hopped eagerly onto Volkner's head. "Great. Let's go!"

At last, the two arrived at room 112. Volkner smiled, straightened his jacket, and took a deep breath before ripping the door open and hurrying inside. "Hey, guys!"

Gardenia was the first to respond. Noticing the Raichu perched on Volkner's head, she kept her voice down. "Hi, Volkner! Wanna buy an Old Gateau? We almost have enough money to pay for the Johto trip."

"Of course," he said, withdrawing his wallet to pay for the small cake. "Raichu, I know you're drooling right now, but it'll have to wait until later. We both know you don't need it right now." He could see Raichu's tail droop a little in disappointment out of the corner of his eye as he pocketed the Gateau, and he couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Thanks, Gardenia. I heard Candice was out sick today. You and the others holding down the fundraising fort alright by yourselves?"

"Yeah. She caught a cold, but she'll be okay. I can handle it over here," the girl said, waving a hand dismissively. "By the way, Lucian's looking for you!"

"Thanks, Gardenia. Let me know if you need help!" Volkner said as he walked away. He'd have to remember to send Candice a get-well text later. He jogged over to the next group and tapped Lucian on the shoulder.

"Hey! Gardenia said you were looking for me," Volkner began, raising the volume of his voice a bit. After working with the club for a while, he had figured out Lucian was hard of hearing and stood overly close to people to compensate. The man kept his distance just fine when someone was loud enough. "Was it about that book you were telling me about?"

A gentle smile graced Lucian's features as he turned around. "Ah, Volkner. Just the man I wanted to see." He retrieved a thick book from the table behind him and gave it to Volkner. "Here it is: _No Strings Attached. _Enjoy."

Volkner took the hefty book and grinned. He'd been curious about string theory for a while, but it wasn't going to be covered in his physics class. "Thanks a lot, Lucian. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Volkner. By the way, your boyfriend's already working on the robot," Lucian said, gesturing to the back table where the mechanics did their jobs.

Volkner rolled his eyes. "Thanks." He fought back a grin as he made his way to the back of the room, spotting the red afro immediately. It hadn't taken very long before he and Flint became best friends. They weren't dating, but they had given up correcting their team members after about the hundredth time.

Maylene spotted Volkner first. "Flint, your boyfriend's here," she commented offhandedly, going back to perusing the extensive rule book for this year's game.

Flint whipped his head over his shoulder, then turned back to carefully put down his soldering iron. He hopped up from his seat and jogged up to his friend. "Good to see you, Volk!" What's up?" He threw an arm around Volkner in a brief side-hug and patted him roughly on the back. Flint then addressed Raichu, who was now fidgeting in excitement on Volkner's head. "Hey there, little buddy! I got somethin' for ya. Think you can catch it?"

Raichu sprang to the floor and braced himself, getting into position on all fours and wagging his tail in anticipation of his and Flint's game; this was usual for the two of them by now. Flint pulled out a poffin and fake-threw it a few times to try and throw him off, but Raichu remained steadfast. He then tossed it high, and Raichu made a rather impressive leaping catch, rescuing the poffin before it could hit the floor and devouring it immediately. Not that it mattered, really; Volkner knew the Pokémon would gladly eat Flint's poffins off the floor if he had to.

"Wow, great catch, Raichu! Did you teach yourself Acrobatics since I last saw you? C'mere!" Raichu squeaked loudly and dashed toward Flint, jumping eagerly into his waiting arms and nuzzling his chest affectionately. Volkner approached the happy pair and sighed, shaking his head and smiling fondly.

"What's wrong, dude? Afraid Raichu's gonna start liking me more than you?" Flint teased with a mischievous grin.

"He doesn't like you. He only likes your cooking," Volkner said, though they both knew that wasn't true. He reached out to tickle his Pokémon under its chin. "If you didn't make him jump around for it, I'd worry that you were making him fat."

Their banter was interrupted by Thorton's voice. "Are you two done playing house? We only have a few more meetings before the competition," he teased.

Volkner looked up, remembering where he was and settling down on the bench to get to work. He'd noticed he had a tendency to forget his surroundings when he hung out with Flint. "What are we working on today?"

Flint ambled back to the robot, explaining what they had to fine-tune. He put Raichu down and took off one of his red suspenders, clipping it to one of the robot's panels and wrapping it deftly around one of the bot's arms to keep it out of the way so he could point out the minor bug and operate the soldering iron more easily. Volkner couldn't help but remember the first time he'd tugged on one of the red straps, asking his friend what they were for. Since then, he'd seen many practical and silly uses, his personal favorite being the one where Flint had played tug-of-war with Raichu.

Flint's explanation—and Volkner's thoughts—were interrupted by a jovial, youthful voice. "Guess who finally has the new t-shirts...spoiler alert, it's me!"

There was a collective cheer throughout the room as Aaron hobbled in carrying a large box with the help of his Vespiquen. Volkner jumped from his seat. The first time he saw Aaron with his bizarre outfit, green hair, and multiple butterfly Pokémon, he'd had his doubts on the designer's competence and worried about the possibility of overly-girly t-shirt designs. One look at the new logo had fixed that attitude immediately.

Volkner rushed toward the box with Flint and the others at his heels. As soon as he got his hands on one of the right size, his face lit up as he inspected it. The t-shirt itself was black, and the word "Firewire" was emblazoned on the front. The "Fire" portion consisted of a flaming font, and it was connected to the "wire" part of the word, whose letters resembled a glowing yellow neon sign. Small sparks marked the junction of the compound word.

Volkner excitedly whipped off his jacket, tossing it haphazardly at Flint with a quick "Think fast!" so he could pull the new team shirt on over his own black t-shirt. Flint caught the blue jacket and giggled at his friend's antics.

"Jeez, slow down, Volk! You're such a geek."

Volkner just laughed in response. It occurred to him that hearing that just two months ago would have offended him, but he couldn't for the life of him remember why.

Two more chapters to go. Stay tuned!


	3. Chapter 3

Things start to get T-rated in this chapter.

Reference: The robotics game they play in this chapter is based loosely on one invented for the F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics competition from a couple of years ago. It was called Aerial Assist. The original involved more robots and less demolition, though.

Also – In case you didn't cook poffins as obsessively as I did: Watmel berries are known for being especially sweet.

* * *

Volkner yawned and almost nodded off in a window seat toward the back of the cushy tour bus, gazing protectively at the aisle seat on his left. It was empty save for his prized jacket, which he'd put down as a placeholder. He'd been prepared to defend the spot from his teammates, but everyone seemed to know better by now. It wasn't spoken, but everyone knew who that seat belonged to.

The bright red hair and distinctive voice were hard to miss as Flint stepped lazily onto the bus. His tiredness was apparent; the fire trainer had dark circles around his eyes, and his slouch was even more pronounced than usual. Instead of his usual flamboyant yellow top, Flint wore his new black Firewire t-shirt to match the rest of the team. He conversed briefly with Palmer (who was almost disgustingly energetic) at the front of the vehicle before continuing down the aisle, and his eyes lit up a bit as he and Volkner exchanged sleepy smiles.

Volkner picked up his jacket from the seat next to him and put it in his lap to make room for his companion to flop down limply by his side. Volkner smirked as Flint closed his eyes for a moment.

He couldn't help but poke fun at his friend. "A little burnt out, eh, Captain?"

Flint opened one eye idly. "Remind me again why I agreed to let Palmer do the scheduling."

Volkner glanced at the tall, blonde supervisor, who was practically bouncing off the walls and pestering every student who made their way up the stairs into the bus, trying to amp them up for the impending competition. His success was limited at best. "You were lazy, remember? This is why I tell everyone you're irresponsible," he said, poking his friend's cheek to keep his attention. When Flint blinked drowsily in response, he kept talking. "Even so, I would have thought you would object to starting this trip at four-thirty in the morning." He allowed a slight touch of bitterness to enter his tone. "Of COURSE Palmer would be a morning person."

"Ugh. I'm too tired for this," Flint complained. He snatched up Volkner's jacket and spread it over himself like a blanket as he shifted to lean heavily on his friend's shoulder. "G'night. Wake me up when he get to Johto."

"Hey! Who said you could...oh, never mind," Volkner trailed off. It wasn't as if this sort of thing was a rare occurrence; Flint had always been touchy-feely. Well, with him, at least. It was probably just a best-friends thing. Volkner's hand twitched with the urge to put his arm around him, but he didn't, deciding it was a bit too risky. The last thing he needed was for Flint to wake up and—somewhat justifiably—make fun of him for being a creep.

It wasn't just Volkner and Flint who were exhausted. A quiet, heavy atmosphere of fatigue hung over the team. Even Gardenia and Candice, who were usually remarkably loud and peppy, sat silently in front of the two. Volkner searched for ways to pass the time, but it was no use. No one else was awake to text, and even if he could have reached the Poké balls in his bag on the floor without rousing Flint, it was against the rules to send out Pokémon on buses unless they were trained service Growlithe. He wasn't sure how long it took, but after a while, the comfortable weight on his left shoulder and his thorough exhaustion lulled him to sleep.

* * *

Several hours later, Palmer's voice boomed throughout the bus. "IT'S TIME! WE'RE HERE, TEAM. LET'S GO!"

"Ugh," Volkner groaned eloquently. The first thing he noticed was that he was sleeping on something fuzzy and sweet-smelling...almost like Watmel berries. He looked down and remembered where he'd fallen asleep. Volkner absently noted that Flint's afro made an excellent pillow.

Flint awoke a second later with a groggy, disgruntled grumble, and Volkner regrettably sat up to mind his personal space again. He knew he had probably looked a little foolish, but he couldn't bring himself to be embarrassed.

Well, at least until he found out that Candice had turned around to be social at one point, only to discover the two cuddling as they slept. His regret set in later when she posted a photo of the scene on Facebook with a cutesy, embarrassing description.

Palmer's way-too-excited voice piped in once more. "C'mon, everyone! I've got your hotel room assignments up here. Now remember, these are completely randomized. I pulled them out of a hat last night, so no complaining or trading!" A few groans were heard as all the students made their way out of the bus. Volkner practically had to drag Flint out, and the pair schlepped their luggage out with them.

"...and Lucas, you'll be going with...yup. Thorton. Room 210." Volkner couldn't help but notice Palmer switching a few cards around; subtlety had never been their supervisor's specialty. "Volkner, you're with Flint in Room 212," he instructed, his smile reaching his eyes. Volkner cocked an eyebrow. The only way the man could have been more obvious was if he had winked at the two.

Flint perked up a bit, lifting his head from Volkner's shoulder as they followed the flow of students toward the hotel where they'd be staying. "Sweet, dude, we're roomies!" he said with a foolish grin.

Volkner glanced back at his supervisor. "Yeah, well, I suspect foul play," he said once they were out of Palmer's earshot.

Flint blinked sleepily in confusion. "Foul Play? None of your Pokémon can learn Foul Play."

Volkner raised an eyebrow at the captain's obliviousness. "You really are tired."

Once upstairs, the pair arrived at Room 212. Flint clumsily attempted to open the door with his card key, still inept from sleep deprivation. Volkner took the time to examine the rooms around them. Lucas and Thorton were on their right side, while Lucian and Roark were situated on their left. Maylene and Dawn were unloading their luggage in the room across from them.

"Haha! Got it!" Flint declared triumphantly. He pushed the heavy door aside and switched the light on to reveal a bathroom, standard hotel decor, and two double beds. "Aw, man!"

"What? What's wrong?"

Flint turned around and leered jokingly at his friend. "I was hoping there would only be one bed so you'd have to sleep with me! What if I get lonely?"

Volkner snorted, unperturbed by the flirting as he dropped his bag on one of the beds. "I'd rather sleep on the floor. You'd definitely be the type to hog blankets and take up too much space."

"Yeah, well, you didn't seem to mind this morning."

"Shut up."

* * *

After eating a quick lunch and registering for the competition, the team split up. Most went to sit in the stands or visit the gift shop in groups and pairs, but the drivers had to register separately, and the core crew members remained in the pit with all the robots. The inspector was about to arrive, so Flint, Volkner, and Palmer were making their last-minute check.

Palmer put down the remote and let out a breath of relief. "Looks like everything's in working order. I was afraid transportation would mess up the robot, but it looks like Roark's designs have held up."

"Wait...aw, crap."

Volkner's eyebrows rose. "What's up, Flint?"

"Right here," Flint gestured to the robot. "This panel. It's loose," he said, gingerly jiggling one metal piece just in front of the back left tire. "Man, I thought I soldered that better! It'll still run fine, but that bit's gonna be weak. Gosh, I'm sorry, guys." Flint put his face in his hands and groaned in frustration.

"Flint, have you forgotten you train Fire-types?" Palmer reminded him. "We can weld this up nice and quick. No problem."

"That's the thing. I left my Poké balls in my bag, and I forgot my bag at home because I was so freakin' tired this morning."

Volkner wordlessly reached into his pocket and took out a Poké ball. Once opened, it released a small Magby, who hopped about curiously for a bit and glanced up at Volkner. "Think this little one can help, Flint? He's got Ember."

Flint's eyes widened. "Volk, I didn't know you had a Magby! You just got about two hundred percent more awesome!" Volkner and Palmer paused, giving Flint impatient looks. "Right, sorry. Anyway, Ember might be too much for a repair this small, but this guy's got Flame Body, right?" Volkner nodded, and Flint bent down to the tiny Fire-type.

"Want to give me a hand, buddy?" When the Pokémon hopped up and down happily and nodded, Flint reached into his seemingly-bottomless pockets and extracted the pair of heat-proof gloves he always wore when working with his Pokémon. He carefully picked Magby up and placed the Pokémon on the table, gently leading it to the robot. "Volk, you wanna hold that panel in place? This'll just be a sec." When Volkner did so, Flint gently held Magby's paws to the seams one at a time, and the heat from the Pokémon's skin gradually welded the metal together, mending it and fixing the problem. Flint laughed excitedly, hugging Magby and lifting it into the air. "Perfect! Great job!" Magby squirmed gleefully in Flint's arms and glowed with happiness.

Literally.

The other teams turned their heads around in curiosity and surprise as a powerful white light emanated from the evolving Pokémon. Flint was forced to put it down and back up as it grew rapidly in size (and weight). Spikes, flames, and bulk appeared as the mass grew larger, and an impressive Magmar came into sight when the light faded. It growled proudly at the awed stares it received.

Once he was able to tear his eyes away from his striking Pokémon, Volkner turned his elated gaze to his best friend.

"Flint, you did it! You made Magby evolve!" He beamed and grabbed his stunned friend's hands in his own. "Thank you so much!"

Flint grinned, his smile matching Volkner's in brilliance. "Anytime, bro. I told you your Pokémon like me more than you! Guess I'm just that—oof!"

The wind was knocked out of him as he was tackle-hugged by his friend. "Thanks, Flint. For everything." Volkner then leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a brief kiss. Once Flint recovered from the shock, he wrapped his arms around Volkner's neck and pressed their foreheads together as they exchanged fond smiles and laughed softly.

Palmer grinned and shook his head wistfully. "Well, would you look at that. A Pokémon evolving by bonding with someone other than its trainer? And here I'd thought I'd seen it all." The other two, who were currently in their own world, didn't hear him, nor did they hear the whistles and applause from the other teams around them.

* * *

"DRIVERS FROM TEAM FIREWIRE AND TEAM FLARE, YOU'RE UP! PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PIT FOR THE FIRST ROUND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! THE MATCH WILL BEGIN IN FIVE MINUTES," the announcer boomed.

Roark and Maylene carefully deposited the robot onto their team's side of the field. Maylene definitely could have lifted it easily by herself, but no one said as much. Roark liked to think he was helping.

Volkner had noticed she was barefoot as usual, which wasn't allowed in the Pit. He could only assume the officials were afraid to confront her. He couldn't really blame them.

"Ready, Raichu?" Raichu nodded confidently at Volkner's question. "Great. Charge Beam, now!" The Pokémon held the tip of his tail to the battery and loosed a controlled beam of electricity, making the robot spark and sizzle threateningly as he filled the battery to bursting.

"Great job, Raichu!" he said emphatically, bending down to pet his Pokémon. Raichu preened at the attention.

Volkner gazed across the field to size up their competition. They were...an interesting bunch, that was for sure. Each high schooler's t-shirt was decorated with a red, flaming F, and they all wore vibrant red sunglasses. Indoors. _I wonder if that'll impair their vision,_ Volkner thought idly. Their eccentric hairdos were all a sickly, vibrant orange-red. Even their robot was sprayed scarlet and black. It had four frail-looking claws, and it was obvious more effort had been put into looks than functionality. Frankly, they looked like a cult. One girl from the team released a nervous Electrike onto the field. She commanded it to use Charge, and it whined anxiously and complied weakly, charging their spindly-armed robot slightly. Volkner smiled and shook his head. There was no way that could compete with Raichu's Charge Beam.

"Volk, get off the field! The game's about to start." Volkner turned around as Flint's hand grabbed his, dragging him away from the robots. Raichu leaped after him happily.

Flint pulled Volkner into a seat in the front row of the stands before turning to encourage the drive team with a quick pep talk. He then faced the sea of Firewire shirts that marked the rest of the team behind them in the stands.

"Team, don't think you're done just because you're not driving. You've still got work to do! Firewire's gotta be the loudest team in this place. I wanna you guys to scream so loudly that you won't be able to talk tomorrow! GET FIRED UP!" The captain pumped his fist into the air and whooped loudly, the others joining in enthusiastically. Satisfied, Flint plopped down in the chair next to Volkner, his face bright with joy and exertion. Volkner couldn't help but laugh quietly. "What's so funny, Volk?"

"Pfft. You said you wanted us to 'scream so loudly we won't be able to talk tomorrow.'"

Flint cocked his head. "So? What's so weird about..." A look of realization slowly made its way across his face as Volkner grinned mischievously, and Flint rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Volkner, get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Didn't think through that phrasing too well, did you?" Volkner mumbled, shaking as he suppressed laughter at his own stupid joke.

Flint's exasperated expression disappeared, making way for a playful smirk as he put a hand on Volkner's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "If I had my way, the only one who'd be screaming like that is you," he muttered, punctuating the sentence with a subtle nip to his ear.

Volkner flinched at his, and his faced turned a bit pink. It was one thing when Flint openly and jokingly flirted with him, but it was quite another when he got serious and intense like that. "...You're too much," he murmured, averting his eyes and holding a hand over his ear.

Flint placed his hands behind his head and leaned back in a cocky slouch. "You know you love it."

* * *

Before long, the match was underway. Everyone knew the rules by now; one robot (controlled jointly by two people) was allowed per team, and three red balls about two feet in diameter were released onto the pitch. Points were scored by hurling these balls into wide, elevated goals, and whoever scored more points was the victor. Each team was allowed one feeder, who returned balls to the pitch after they were sent through the goals. Attacking the other robots was not only legal, but encouraged; this rewarded durable designs and made the games more exciting.

It didn't take long before Firewire pulled ahead significantly thanks to the combined skills of Thorton's driving and Dawn's attack and defense skills, which allowed them to score goal after goal and deflect the few shots Team Flare's robot managed to make. The power imbalance was blatantly obvious; Firewire's robot was pushing the legal upper limit of three feet tall, while Flare's barely managed two. Lucas, who was the feeder for that match, hardly had anything to do on his side. The score was twelve to three in their favor, and the team members in the stands were going wild. There were still two minutes left on the clock, but Volkner could just barely hear Dawn's ruthless statement over the din.

"Let's finish this."

Thorton nodded definitively, and the two mounted a coordinated assault on their opponents. Seeing the advance, Flint leaped to his feet, encouraging the rest of the team to do the same, and he and Volkner led them in the loudest cheer yet.

Roark had styled their weapon after a wrecking ball, having been inspired by the construction equipment from his home town of Oreburgh. The wrecking ball itself was about the size of a Poké ball and was surprisingly heavy, which was a testament to the strength of Roark's design. Thorton drove forward determinedly at an impressive clip. Volkner eyes were glued to the action; he hadn't realized just how intense the games could get. He could hear Flint yelling something next to him, but he was so focused that the words didn't register. The robot's speed made it impossible to dodge in time as Dawn mercilessly swung the heavy wrecking ball, which smashed through two of its opponent's four arms in one fell swoop, causing it to short-circuit with a brief crackle of electricity.

Team Flare's members gasped in unison at their smoking, ruined bot. The referee waited the required twenty seconds as they tried in vain to get it to respond, but it was over.

"AND WITH THAT...THIS PRELIMINARY MATCH IS OVER! CONGRATULATIONS, TEAM FIREWIRE!"

A cacophonous cheer erupted behind the victorious drivers as they were enveloped in a group hug. Even Volkner joined in with the mob. He and Thorton still weren't the best of friends, but this was forgotten as he embraced both him and Dawn in his excitement.

The rest of the rounds scheduled for that day went just as well. Firewire easily defeated Team Plasma of Unova (their robot's battery ran out halfway through, probably because they refused to let a Pokémon charge it), Team Leaf Storm of Kanto (an all-female team who wore matching miniskirts and leg warmers), and the fashionable Team Noir of Kalos (all of whose members wore too much perfume, in Volkner's opinion). Firewire was also slated to face off against a group from Hoenn by the name of Team Magma, but they had been disqualified for starting a fierce brawl with Team Aqua of the same region, and Firewire won by default.

Now that they'd emerged victorious in all the rounds so far, Firewire only had their semifinal and (hopefully) final matches to go. Volkner and the others were ecstatic at the possibility, but they had to wait until tomorrow. Day One's matches were complete.

* * *

"Did you see the way that robot's arm shattered? Man, that was so awesome!" Volkner gushed, his voice hoarse from yelling all day. He was practically prancing into the hotel room.

Flint chuckled at his normally-quiet friend's excited antics as he followed him inside. "Yes, Volkner, I saw. I was sitting right next to you the whole time. Remember?"

Flint's words went unheard. "That was so cool, though. Are the games always that brutal?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Sometimes worse. One year, they had trouble declaring a winner because both robots in the finals were so wrecked. The referee had to decide with the coin flip app on his Pokétch. The losing team was PISSED," Flint said with a laugh.

Volkner flopped into bed on his back to stare at the ceiling with an elated grin. "This is all so much fun. I just wish I could have gotten into it earlier instead of being stubborn and stuck-up when I was younger. Man, I could have had two more years of this! We're already juniors, Flint," he whined mournfully.

"You're so dramatic, Volkner," Flint said. "It's not like we're getting old. We still have another year after this." He sat down sideways on Volkner's bed to face him. "I'm just glad you're with us now."

Volkner turned to his friend and sat up. "I don't tell you this often enough, Flint, but I really am grateful for how you helped me on my first day. If it weren't for you, well..." Volkner looked down and fidgeted with his fingers for a moment. "I wouldn't have stayed. So, thanks," he finished, looking back up with a kind smile.

Flint snorted a bit at this and clapped his friend on his shoulder, opting to leave his hand there afterward. "I'm the one who should be thanking you. We've never gotten this far in the competition because our robot's always full of bugs. We normally get knocked out in the third round or so, but this time around, we're in the semifinals, and it's all thanks to you fixing everything. Even the team gets along better, and I..." Flint trailed off and shifted restlessly, averting his eyes and removing his hand from Volkner's shoulder.

Volkner's happy grin took on a roguish quality. "Oh? You what?"

Flint frowned. He should have known he wouldn't get away with it. "Well, I...kind of like having you around and everything...hey, why are you laughing?!"

"Hah! That's it? That's really all you have to say?" Volkner said incredulously. Taking pity on the man somewhat, he shifted to close some of the space between them and slid a hand up Flint's neck to cup his cheek. "Surely there's something else. Why do you 'kind of like having me around?' Where's all your usual bravado?"

Flint froze in place and flushed a bit. "Well, it's one thing when we're joking around. This is...a bit more serious," he admitted. He gulped with difficulty. "Volkner, I've never been this close with anyone else before. I...really like you, okay, and I don't want to say anything to screw it up." He leaned his face into Volkner's hand slightly and closed his eyes for a moment.

A rush of affectionate sympathy came over Volkner at Flint's behavior, and he closed the remaining distance between the two. "Then maybe we shouldn't say anything at all." His eyes became half-lidded as his lips connected with Flint's, which were smooth but firm. Both boys sighed and relaxed into the touch.

For his part, Flint remained slightly stiff for a few moments, unsure of what to do with his hands and feeling distracted by Volkner's movements and the taste on his lips; he had eaten a few too many cookies at the hotel banquet a few minutes ago, and the sweet flavor of chocolate chips remained. Soon, his hands made their way toward his partner seemingly of their own accord, his left reaching into Volkner's soft hair and the right one sliding down his side onto the small, warm expanse of skin exposed between his jeans and the hem of his team t-shirt.

In response, Volkner slipped an arm behind Flint and rubbed his back, and he could feel the back of his shirt ride up slightly at the action. Flint's control slipped a bit, and he couldn't help but lean in farther and deepen the kiss. Both boys' movements became quicker and more passionate as their tongues tangled shyly. A bit of sloppiness ensued, but neither cared too much, even as their noses nudged and their teeth clacked together. They were too busy exploring each other's mouths and listening to the slight slurps and shaky exhales as the sounds of their inexperienced yet fervent kissing became the most prominent in the quiet room, having overtaken the soft hum of the air conditioner.

Flint had just about exhausted his supply of oxygen, so he broke away with a gasp. A small trail of saliva connected their lips for a moment, but neither cared. He looked into Volkner's cloudy blue eyes, which were dark and hazy with lust. He imagined his looked about the same and ducked down with embarrassment, choosing instead to push his head toward Volkner's neck and press his lips to the unmarked skin, sucking softly. That skin wouldn't be unmarked when he was done with it.

Volkner let out a nearly inaudible groan at his action, roughly grasping the back of his head to keep it there. Flint took this as a sign that he was doing something right and moved his mouth higher to the base of his partner's jaw before sucking harder at his—strangely sweet—skin. He'd have to ask the man later what type of body wash he used to keep it that way, not that it was his primary concern at that moment. Volkner's hand combed its way through his red afro, and he fisted the back of Flint's shirt, tugging at it insistently. "Off," he demanded.

Flint laughed and pulled away to comply. When his head was free of the shirt, he noticed his partner doing the same. He couldn't help but run his eyes over Volkner's lightly muscled torso; his friend always looked scrawny underneath his loose jacket, so it was easy to forget he wasn't a complete beanpole. Flint had managed to sneak a few peeks during the times when he slept over at his friend's house, but he'd never gotten this good a look before, and he drank the sight in greedily. Despite his glassy eyes, flushed cheeks, and labored breathing, Volkner still managed to look predatory. As Flint paused to absently ponder how that was, Volkner advanced and leaned toward Flint with one hand on the bedspread. "Hah," he huffed. "You call that a hickey? Let me show you how it's done."

Flint had little time to prepare before Volkner grasped his neck and pulled him forward, burying his face in his neck just above the black collar he always wore. Volkner licked Flint's sensitive neck and immediately sucked at it, much harder than Flint had before. He gasped harshly at the sensation and shuddered, wrapping both arms around Volkner's back and groping desperately at his shoulder blades as his breath caught in his throat. He silently thanked Arceus that his pants were so baggy, as they allowed more space for his awakening erection. One discreet downward glance past Volkner's head confirmed that his partner was just as hard as he was. Flint trembled with arousal at the thought.

By this time, Volkner had straightened up with both of his knees on either side of Flint so he could nip and pull at his ear with his teeth, running his tongue around the shell of it. After this had extracted a drawn-out moan from him, Flint lost his patience. He drew himself up to Volkner's height and placed a hand on either side of his face to pull the man away from his ear. He reconnected their lips aggressively and tried his best to keep himself quiet when their erections ground against each other through their pants. Heat erupted from the spot where they met. This time around, they lost each other in the contact, just barely keeping a reasonable volume for their noises of pleasure, which filled the otherwise empty room. Flint moved his hands to Volkner's torso, wrapping one around his shoulders to keep him close while the other teased one of his hardened nipples. He was hesitant at first, unsure if the other would enjoy it, but he got his answer when Volkner let out a soft cry into his mouth.

Feeling bold, Flint pulled away from the fevered kiss by about an inch. Satisfaction bloomed in his chest when he saw Volkner panting harshly from his ministrations. He looked up from the other man's swollen lips to brag, "I'll admit you're not bad at this, but I still think I'm better." To prove his point, Flint dove back down, running his tongue past Volkner's Adam's apple to latch his mouth onto the column of his throat once more. He sucked both sides in turn before dipping his tongue into the hollow of the man's throat. Before long, he could feel Volkner's blunt nails scraping harshly down his back. They didn't break the skin, but there would definitely be marks if anyone dared to look for them. Flint finished with a hard, possessive bite to the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He licked the mark gently and backed away from his handiwork with a confident smile to see that Volkner was muffling his cries by biting his knuckle, a look of heated pleasure on his face and a wild light in his eyes.

"Well? What do you think of that?" Flint declared proudly.

"What do I think? I actually think we should stop...at least for now," he panted.

Flint's face fell as he removed his arms from Volkner's body. "B-but...why?"

Volkner averted his eyes self-consciously. "Because these walls are thin and hickeys don't go away overnight."

"...Shit. You're right."

"Sleep?"

"Good idea."

Both turned in for the night in their separate beds, stubbornly ignoring their insistent erections until the fires in their veins cooled, choosing instead to focus on the possibilities Day Two of the competition held.

* * *

Is it obvious I had way too much fun coming up with the other team names?

Next chapter will be the last.


	4. Chapter 4

GOD THIS TOOK FOREVER TO WRITE

This chapter's where the M rating comes in.

* * *

It took only a brief glace in the mirror that morning for Volkner to confirm his own suspicions; the blemishes on his neck still showed themselves proudly. He found himself wishing he had brought a scarf, conspicuous as it would be, but even if he had, the temperature was much too high to justify wearing one. Thankfully, his shirt mostly hid the crescent-shaped bite mark Flint had left in his heated fervor.

Speaking of Flint, the man was still snoring and drooling face-down into his pillow, his limbs splayed haphazardly across the bed like a Slakoth, covers half-falling off. Volkner shook his head fondly, again wondering how this buffoon had managed to become captain of anything as he roused him from his slumber.

Unlike the morning before, Flint was acting almost manic early into Day Two. Volkner suspected the man was trying to hide his embarrassment, though he didn't say as much.

"Volk, your Magmar is just about the coolest I've ever seen! I wish I had a Magmar like that. Magmortar's one of the best Fire-types out there, you know." Flint continued ranting about stats and movepools for several minutes, and an idea occurred to Volkner when his mind wandered to the Magmarizer in his room back home in Sunyshore. Before he had a chance to share his thoughts, the two met up with the rest of the team in the hotel lobby. Volkner resisted the urge to slap a hand over his neck to conceal the telltale marks, but no one commented.

_Huh. I guess we got away with it. Maybe I was just paranoid._

Flint jogged forward to stand beside Palmer, who joined him in addressing the team with enthusiasm as they reminded them of the day's schedule. They led the group out the door and onto the bus again so they could make their way back to the games.

Dawn and Lucas trailed behind the mob slightly as the boy addressed his twin. "Sis, what's wrong with Volkner and Flint's necks? Are those bug bites? Do you think they had a Joltik infestation in their room or something?!" The boy shivered with trepidation.

Dawn stared blankly at her naïve brother. "Lucas, have you ever heard of a hickey?"

Lucas tilted his head in confusion. "No. What does that mean?"

"It means they probably spent all night sucking at each other's throats like vampire Crobats," she deadpanned.

"Why would they do that? That...wait..." A horrified expression spread over the boy's face. "Oh...ew...EW! BAD IMAGES! Why did you tell me that?!" He hastily covered his ears.

"Don't blame me. You asked."

* * *

Volkner stared in disbelief at Flint, who seemed to have transformed into a human vacuum. The two were eating lunch at the makeshift food court organized for the competition...well, Volkner was finished, but Flint was still going. He was already scarfing down his fourth hot dog and showed no signs of slowing down. Volkner couldn't decide whether he was impressed or nauseated.

"Dude...are you alright? You're gonna get a stomachache if this keeps up."

"Mph scrmph," Flint quipped through a mouthful of hot dog.

"Uh...fair enough, I guess..."

Flint sloppily slurped down a gulp of soda before opening his mouth. "That last match was rough! I have to regain my strength."

Volkner smiled crookedly. "You're not the one doing all the work, you know."

Flint stopped just before he could take another bite and rebutted indignantly. "Hey, cheerleading...uh, leading teams in cheers, I mean...is hard work!" He wiped off his mouth with a crumpled napkin. "Team Castelia was tough! And those clowns...ugh..." Flint's eye twitched at the memory of their opponents' unnerving costumes.

"I believe they prefer the term 'harlequin,'" Volkner pointed out. At Flint's unimpressed look, he tried to defend the strange men. "Hey, at least they offered us ice cream afterward."

Flint looked disgusted and put down his hot dog entirely. "Ugh, don't make me lose my appetite! Who the hell models ice cream after a Pokémon anyway?!" Volkner shrugged in assent. "Well, either way, the drivers couldn't have done it without our help," Flint said, nodding decisively.

Volkner decided not to argue. "The bouts have definitely gotten harder. Who are we up against in the finals?"

Flint grinned. "We're facing Team HeartSoul of Johto. They NEVER do well in this competition; they must have gotten really lucky with their opponents to get to the finals! It's gonna be a breeze. The trophy is as good as ours, Volk!"

Volkner snorted. "Team HeartSoul? Is that supposed to sound threatening?"

"They say it's supposed to be about spiritual connections or some bullshit. This'll be a cinch, Volk. We've got this in the bag!" Flint proclaimed, pumping a fist in the air with conviction.

Volkner let out a breath of relief and exchanged confident smiles with his partner. "Whatever you say, Flint."

* * *

Team Firewire most definitely did NOT have things in the bag. After both robots were charged and Firewire shook hands with HeartSoul's drivers—two serious-looking girls with pigtails—their opponents wasted no time in taking control of the game and barreling into a commanding early lead. Flint was grinding his teeth in agitation and clenching his fingers in his hair. Volkner glanced idly at the captain, wondering if it was possible to rip out an entire afro from stress.

"I'm actually quite impressed," Volkner admitted, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "That Ampharos charged their robot in no time flat. Their drivers are perfectly in sync, too; it's almost like they're the same person." Flint gave him an incredulous look, but Volkner continued. "Their creativity is admirable as well; shaping their bot like a Gyarados was quite clever. The red spray paint is a nice touch."

"Yeah, well, that shape is a pain in the ass. The teeth and tail make it impossible to get too close, so we can't hit it with our weapon!" Flint continued trying to rip his hair out in frustration. "Why are you praising them?! We're losing ten to seven with one minute left! This is no time to be impressed, Volk!"

Volkner chuckled softly. "I'm glad to finally have a challenge. This is a fun battle to watch!" His eyebrows knotted with concern at his partner's agonized expression, and he gently extracted Flint's tense hands from his red mass of hair and patted him on the back comfortingly. "You're going to give yourself a headache at this rate. Isn't there anything more productive you can be doing?"

Flint's eyes widened as he leapt out of his seat, pumping a fist in the air. "That's right! We still have work to do! Ready, team? We're not finished yet! Let me see your spirits burn!" Volkner couldn't help but laugh at Flint's sudden burst of enthusiasm, but it must have been contagious, because the rest of the team joined him in one last rowdy cheer.

Encouraged by the support of their friends, Dawn and Thorton were able to score two unanswered goals, but the final buzzer cut in before they could make a full comeback.

"AND THAT'S IT! TEAM HEARTSOUL HAS WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP! LET'S HEAR IT FOR THEIR DRIVERS, KRIS AND LYRA! THOSE TWO ARE FRESHMEN, SO YOU CAN BET WE'LL BE SEEING MORE OF THEM!"

"Oh, freshmen. That's probably why they didn't do so well in previous years...Flint?" Volkner questioned, looking down at his friend. "You okay, pal?"

Flint was staring at the field with a shell-shocked expression, his hands limp at his sides. Volkner was willing to bet he couldn't even hear the cheers from the other team's bench and the respectful applause of their own team.

"...Flint?" he tried again. "Flint, it's alright. There's always next year. And hey, we got second place! That's great, isn't it?"

Flint finally managed to shut his mouth, but he was looking down at his feet, his hands shoved into his pockets as he frowned. Volkner bent down to try and look him in the eyes and rubbed his shoulder. At this, Flint raised his head and forced a grin. The captain descended the stairs to congratulate his drivers, so Volkner turned to the rest of the team and thanked them for their support in lieu of the captain.

* * *

Flint faked a smile all through dinner. Volkner noticed, but he wasn't sure if the rest of the team did (Palmer clearly didn't, but Palmer was dense as an Avalugg, so Volkner didn't use him as a benchmark). Flint debriefed the team and reviewed the schedule for tomorrow's awards ceremony and return trip, upholding his facade all the way through. Volkner would have been impressed if it didn't make him so sad, though he did his best to keep a supportive smile on his face for Flint whenever he looked his way.

Once the team members finished eating and were making their way out of the cafeteria, Lucian pulled Volkner aside and gave a knowing look at Flint. "Is he going to be alright?"

Volkner smiled. Of course Lucian would notice; he was too perceptive for his own good. "It'll be fine. Don't worry, I'll see to taking this husk back upstairs," Volkner said, looping an arm in Flint's and walking him back to their room.

* * *

When the two arrived back at the room, Flint allowed his mask to dissipate at last. He let himself drop down on his bed with a monumental sigh. Frankly, Volkner was surprised he managed to stay seated instead of falling straight onto his back. Volkner took off his shoes and socks, relieved to be rid of them after the long day.

Volkner dropped down next to his friend, his own slouch less noticeable than Flint's. He wrapped a comforting arm around Flint, and the man instantly pressed his face into Volkner's shirt.

"Volk...I let everyone down," he said, his voice muffled in his friend's shoulder. "We almost had it!"

Volkner looked down at Flint in disbelief. "Flint, we got second place in a competition with one hundred and twenty-eight teams. One hundred and twenty-eight, and we were better than all but one of them! That's pretty damn good! And how the hell is it your fault?"

Flint lifted his head a bit and ran a hand through his afro absently. "I'm the captain, Volk. There has to be something I could have done better. I must have missed something..."

Volkner was already shaking his head vehemently in disagreement. "No way. One team just happened to be a little bit better, and you know we put up one hell of a fight. It was no one's 'fault.' Aren't you glad we got to face off against such a strong team?"

Flint half-smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I hadn't thought about it that way. We were doing so well...I guess I just got my hopes up, you know?"

"Yeah." Volkner smiled kindly at him. "I don't like seeing you so sad when we did so well, though." With that, Volkner shifted back on the bed behind Flint and swung a leg around his other side so Flint was sitting between his thighs. Volkner slid his palms up Flint's back and rested his fingers on his inner shoulders before kneading gently.

Flint hummed in contentment. "Whatcha doin' back there?"

"Just distracting you for a little while."

Flint offered no complaint as Volkner worked the knots out of his shoulders. There weren't too many, most likely because Flint hadn't been stressed for too long. Nevertheless, Flint seemed to be enjoying the treatment; he relaxed his shoulders and kicked off his sandals. He occasionally let out soft sighs of relief. Volkner was just getting cocky about his skills when he accidentally pressed too hard above one of his shoulder blades, and Flint flinched with a quiet yelp.

"Sorry," Volkner said sheepishly. Okay, so maybe he wasn't perfect at this quite yet. He heard Flint snicker and decided to switch it up. He skimmed the pads of his fingers up and down Flint's back just to the sides of his spine, applying moderate pressure.

Flint sucked in air sharply and stopped him. "Careful where you're aiming...just a sec." To clarify the issue, Flint carefully reached down to gingerly peel the shirt off his back, and Volkner cringed at what was revealed.

_Jeez, what happened to his back? Who hurt him like that? Those...wait. Ah. _Volkner laughed nervously when he saw the raw, wild scratches he'd left on Flint's back the night before in his fervor. "Whoops."

"Nah, it's all good. Not gonna lie, though, it was a little distracting; whenever I scratched my back today, I couldn't help but think of last night," Flint admitted, throwing a roguish smirk over his shoulder. "Didn't help that you're covered in hickeys, too."

Volkner's hand instinctively shot to his own neck at the remark. "Fair enough. Speaking of which..." Volkner leaned down with little warning and bit roughly down on Flint's shoulder.

"Ah! What was that for?!" Flint squawked. Volkner responded with a laugh.

"Now we match," he explained. He licked the mark in apology. Just like the night before, Flint's skin tasted vaguely spicy. Volkner moved his head down to press gentle kisses to his partner's shoulder in contrast to the harsh bite. Not wanting to hurt Flint's back further, he slid his hands to the front instead, taking advantage of the other's bare chest. He remembered one of Flint's actions from yesterday and imitated it by deftly rolling a nipple between his fingers, feeling satisfied when it hardened under his digits and his motions drew a gasp from Flint. His other hand moved lower to Flint's flat stomach so he could trace patterns over it, and he combined the light kisses with heated presses of his tongue.

By this point, Flint's mouth was wide open to make way for pleasured gasps and whines: not just from the sensations, but from Volkner's tenderness. On the first day he met Volkner, the boy had emanated a cold aura, and Flint never would have guessed he could soften into someone so caring. He squirmed and arched his back to get more contact from the man behind him, gasping softly and thoroughly enjoying the other's ministrations as well as the sensation of warm, heavy breathing against his skin. In his desire to touch Volkner somehow in return, he reached his hands down to grip the man's thighs.

Though he wasn't being directly stimulated, Volkner easily derived pleasure from Flint's reactions. He pulled his face away for a second to bite his lip impatiently, then slid the hand on Flint's stomach around his hip to rub teasingly along his inner thigh. Flint let out a harsh, choked gasp. At this, Volkner felt himself growing harder, and he gave into the temptation to shift his hips forward and press his hardness against Flint's lower back, hoping he'd take the hint.

Flint must have felt it, because he groaned and ground his ass against Volkner's groin. A moan escaped Volkner's lips in response, and the hand on Flint's thigh hesitantly drifted inward to palm Flint's erection through his pants.

Flint moaned in need as he automatically thrust into Volkner's hand, throwing his head back. Flint desperately grasped the invading hand, threading their fingers together tightly to keep it exactly where it was. They didn't quite have the right angle for kissing, so Volkner settled for nipping Flint's jaw—gently, of course. They didn't need any more visible marks than they already had.

After a minute of frenzied writhing in the awkward position, Flint managed to gasp, "Volk—I can't s-see you like this. L-let's turn around—!" His voice cracked at the end when Volkner pinched his nipple and squeezed his length at the same time. Volkner could have gone on teasing the man, but he was frustrated with their placement as well, so he grudgingly relinquished his grip on his partner to slide backward onto the bed, lying down and resting his weight on his elbows. Flint let out a huff—whether of relief, frustration, or some strange mixture, Volkner didn't know—and took a moment to gather himself. He then flipped over onto his hands and knees, crawling forward and advancing on Volkner with a seductive glint in his eye.

Well, it was seductive...until his hand slipped out from under him on the comforter and his forehead smashed into Volkner's knee on the way down.

"Ow—shit," he cursed, fumbling to regain his bearings.

Volkner was proud of himself for successfully holding in his laughter for the first five seconds. After that, though, he couldn't help but release the floodgate.

"Pfft...F-Flint...did you just—ahahaha! That was hilarious! You alright, dude?" A few snickers continued to escape.

Flint couldn't really blame him for laughing, but he still felt justified in pouting angrily.

"Hmph. Yeah, I'm fine."

Volkner wiped a tear from his eye and tried to get himself under control. "C'mere, Flint," he said, wrapping a hand behind Flint's neck to pull his head down. He kissed the man's forehead where it had been hurt, then pulled back a bit to examine Flint's expression.

As usual, Flint couldn't keep from grinning for too long, and the pained pout melted off his face to make way for a goofy grin. "You're such a sap," Flint accused jokingly, leaning back in to connect their lips in a real kiss. Flint slanted his mouth over Volkner's so he could push his tongue into the other's willing mouth, and he leaned his body farther over his friend's.

It didn't take long for the two to get carried away again, their teenage hormones happily taking over. Volkner accepted the invasion of his mouth, eagerly tangling his tongue with Flint's. He became very aware of Flint's position on top of him; the man was bracing himself above Volkner with both hands on either side of his head. One of his knees was to the side of his body, but the other was pressing dangerously close to Volkner's crotch, and the thought sent a thrill down his spine. Volkner ran his eyes hungrily along the lean body above him. Some would have thought Flint was too skinny, but to Volkner, he was perfect. As always, Flint's baggy pants obstructed Volkner's view of his lower half. He'd have to fix that.

Volkner loosened his grip on Flint's neck—which, by now, had a thin layer of sweat—to pull back slightly, enough for his tongue to retreat back into his mouth without breaking the kiss entirely so he could speak against the other's lips. "Hey, Flint, guess what?" he questioned, his voice husky but playful.

Flint's eyes barely fluttered open and shifted restlessly back and forth between Volkner's darkened eyes and his swollen lips. "What?"

"I found another use for your suspenders."

"...Wha—OH, GOD!"

A quick rustle of fabric was heard as Volkner took ahold of the red straps and swiftly yanked Flint's pants down with a triumphant cackle. "Hah! You know, Flint, most people wear suspenders to keep their pants UP. Yours, on the other hand, are just begging people to pants you. You have NO IDEA how long I've wanted to do that," he admitted breathlessly.

To Volkner's surprise, Flint didn't get flustered or embarrassed, instead giving a wide smile as he replied, "Probably as long as I've wanted to do this." His hands shot to Volkner's pants, taking a little time to unbutton and unzip them, mindful of Volkner's erection, which gave an interested twitch at the proximity of Flint's hands.

While Flint worked, Volkner distracted himself by looking elsewhere. He raised an eyebrow. "Flint...are those..."

Pausing to follow his gaze, Flint beamed proudly. "Yup! Limited-edition Firewire boxers from last year!" He gave a proud thumbs-up, clearly unashamed to be wearing an outdated robotics logo on his crotch. "They didn't sell too well, so we didn't have them this year. It's too bad, we could have matched!"

Volkner just shook his head. "I don't know what to do with you sometimes, Flint," he admitted as the man succeeded in removing his pants with a noise of triumph. Flint smoothly slid his hands up the skin of Volkner's torso, pushing his t-shirt up and off with the other's assistance.

Flint waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Well, you could start by using your hands," he suggested.

Volkner grinned in agreement. He reached his hands inside the waistband of Flint's boxers, slipping them off and tossing them to an unknown corner of the room with the rest of their apparel. He tried not to stare, but he couldn't help but compare his and Flint's cocks; he was pretty sure his was a bit longer, but Flint's was slightly thicker. Flint smirked at Volkner's inspection. "Like what you see?"

Volkner forcefully tore his eyes away, knowing that if he hadn't been blushing before, then he definitely was now. "You wish," he snorted weakly, though he knew it didn't sound convincing. Flint laughed softly to himself.

Figuring he'd teased his partner enough, Flint hooked his thumbs into Volkner's briefs, which were plain and unembarrassing; it was a shame, really. He was hoping they'd be decorated with cute little Pikachus or something so he could tease his partner. Instead, he pulled them off without a word and tossed them away to be forgotten.

Volkner pulled Flint down impatiently, squeezing his ass and pressing their hips together. Both boys moaned audibly at the contact. Flint laid the rest of his body on top of Volkner and connected their lips once again. The kiss grew sloppy when Flint took hold of Volkner and rolled his hips. Volkner moaned into Flint's mouth before reciprocating the action, drawing a pleasured noise from Flint in response.

It wasn't long before the two were rutting against one another mindlessly. Flint had pulled his head away to groan against Volkner's collarbone and shut his eyes, continuing to piston his hips. Volkner grew tired of being pinned and flipped them over, taking control of the situation. He punctuated the action with an avid thrust as he took hold of both their lengths and started to pump them both simultaneously.

"Volk, wh—ah!" Flint cut off his own protest with a cry of pleasure, his eyes fluttering shut as he shivered with arousal. Volkner thrust against his friend and watched him come unraveled. Flint had always been an expressive man, but his current look—flushed cheeks, slackened mouth, and distant, distracted eyes—was Volkner's new favorite. No matter what faces Flint would show in public, Volkner would make sure he'd be the only one to see him like this.

Volkner was forced to regain his focus when Flint gripped his shoulders and flipped them again so both boys were lying on their sides facing each other. "Compromise?" he panted simply. Volkner nodded breathlessly in agreement. Clearly, neither one wanted to be on the bottom for too long. He couldn't complain about the new position, especially when Flint tangled one of his legs around his to pull them closer and pushed the other between Volkner's thighs. He shuddered at the contact and continued to stroke their erections, and Flint took ahold of his waist so he could thrust his hips against Volkner's.

Both were too breathless for proper kissing, so neither tried; instead, they carelessly let out loud moans and cries of passion. The friction of their sweat-soaked skin was driving Volkner crazy, and he sped up the motions of his hand, feeling a bit of fluid from both of their lengths leak onto his fingers. Flint's body heat and their combined heavy breathing were beginning to make him feel overheated. Flint shuddered in his embrace and licked his lips.

"Mmph...Volk...I can't—" Volkner nodded, getting the point; he wouldn't be able to last much longer, either. He did his best to connect their lips in one last, sloppy kiss as he stroked them more roughly, losing all rhythm and finesse in his desperation and need.

Apparently, Flint didn't mind the lack of technique, because he broke his lips away from Volkner's to let out one last, clipped scream.

"V-Volk...ah!" Flint gripped Volkner's upper arms tightly as he cried out, his whole body spasming with the force of his climax. He gave one last, powerful jerk of his hips as he came into Volkner's hand.

The feeling of his partner's length throbbing and releasing in his hand and his cry of pleasure were too much for Volkner. His muscles seized up, and he froze as he came violently, his vision going white. "F-Flint—!" He didn't bother trying to muffle his shout.

Volkner went limp in his partner's embrace and kept his eyes closed for a moment. When he opened them again, he was about two inches from Flint's face. The man had a dazed, affectionate look on his face as he inspected Volkner's features fondly.

Okay, so Volkner now had a new favorite Flint expression. He couldn't help but lean forward to kiss his friend innocently. It was nothing heated this time, just a simple press of lips. Flint returned the gesture and stroked a hand through Volkner's hair, laughing as he ruffled it a bit.

"Dude, your hair is ridiculous right now. It looks like a Combee's nest."

Volkner snorted at that. "You're not one to talk."

Flint didn't argue, probably because he knew Volkner was right. "But man, was that awesome. I'm glad we got that out of our systems." He stretched out on his back and pulled Volkner to his side.

Volkner nuzzled his face into Flint's collarbone and hummed in agreement. "How long do you think that's been building up? It's been a while..."

"You mean how long we've wanted to screw each other?" Volkner snorted into the man's side, but Flint continued on, unfazed. "Well, I liked you pretty much from the get-go, so it's been almost three months for me. What about you?"

Volkner laughed hoarsely and started absently tracing patterns on Flint's chest. "Actually, I thought you were really goofy in the beginning."

"Oh, yeah?" Flint waggled his eyebrows. "And now what do you think?"

"Now I KNOW you're really goofy."

"Aw, you wound me!" Flint wailed dramatically. "Anyway, I feel really gross right now. Shower?"

"Yup. Your bed's still gonna be gross, though." Volkner sighed. He rolled out of bed and started toward the bathroom, yanking Flint up and pulling him along. "Looks like we'll have to share."

Flint pumped a fist in the air triumphantly. "Yes! My wish came true!"

Volkner rolled his eyes fondly and spanked his friend, who yelped. "Good for you, Blissey. Now let's get going. I'm tired."

* * *

Volkner awoke face-to-face with a mass of sweet-smelling red hair, and he looked down to see that Flint (still naked, just as he was) was clinging to his torso like a spider Mankey and snoring obnoxiously. A small stain could be seen in the sheets below his mouth, presumably from his drool. Seeing the scene, Volkner couldn't help but smile warmly at Flint.

All-in-all, the only thing that ruined the moment was the blaring of his alarm.

The pair struggled through the morning routine, their late night taking its toll in the forms of sluggish sleepiness and dark bags under their eyes. It was all they could do to pack up and make their way to the door of their room.

On the way out, Volkner stopped Flint before he could open the door. "Hey. I got one more use for those suspenders."

Flint blinked heavily and gave a lazy grin. "You're not going to pants me again, are you?"

"Nope." Instead, Volkner grasped the straps and pulled Flint toward him to plant a brief but passionate kiss on his lips. They broke away, and Volkner grinned. "Wasn't sure how long it'd be before I'd be able to do that again."

* * *

Volkner joined his team at the continental breakfast down in the hotel lobby, bringing his bowl of cereal with him as he plopped down in his usual seat next to Flint. They were surrounded by Maylene, Dawn, Lucas, Thorton, Roark, and Lucian. Something struck him as odd about his teammates' faces, though.

Dawn had her usual blank stare and Lucian retained his customary gentle smirk, but Lucas, Thorton, and Roark looked rather uncomfortable and wouldn't keep eye contact with him.

Maylene, on the other hand, had a bright grin on her face. "So, guys, did you have a good time last night?"

Volkner paused his munching and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

_Wait...Lucian and Roark roomed to one side of us, with Thorton and Lucas on the other...and Maylene and Dawn were across from us..._

Volkner exchanged a look with Flint, whose face was pale.

Maylene started giggling, and Dawn took over for her. She maintained her bored expression as she deadpanned, "Are you guys always that loud when you fuck?"

"DAWN!" Lucas shrieked in horror.

Volkner spat out his mouthful of cereal, and Flint choked on the Rawst berry he was eating.

The two struggled to recover, and Maylene collapsed into happy hysterics, pounding the table with her fist in merriment. Apparently, Dawn was immune to social awkwardness, because she continued. "Which one of you tops, anyway? I've always wondered that."

"SIS!"

"What? I'm just curious."

Lucian chimed in shrewdly. "I always assumed Volkner did the honors. He seems more the type. He does have the height advantage, does he not?"

"Not really. Flint just slumps a lot," Roark pointed out. When everyone looked at him, he blushed and pulled his helmet down to try and cover his face. "N-not that I'm terribly worried about it, of course!"

At this point, Volkner was hiding his face in his hands, and Flint was slamming his head against the table. Repeatedly. Maylene couldn't help but add her two cents.

"I always thought Flint would be a seme...because he's such a PAIN IN THE ASS! Hah! Get it?!"

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Thankfully, the rest of the team mostly left them alone for the rest of the day (aside from a few atrocious puns about "sparks flying" from Maylene). Once they boarded the bus again after the awards ceremony, Volkner leaned his head against Flint's shoulder heavily. He was too tired to sit up straight, but he was too awake to sleep, so he merely slumped over lazily as he watched Flint from the corner of his eye, still not understanding how the other had so much energy this early in the morning. It must have been left over from the ceremony.

"Can you believe it, Volk? Two ribbons. Two!"

Volkner blinked and smiled sleepily. "I mean, technically, the _team _only got one. Our _robot _got the Toughness ribbon, and we mostly have Roark to thank for that."

Flint bristled. "It was still a team effort. Besides, the Team Spirit Award is nothing to sneeze at, either! We may not have gotten the trophy, but I'm still proud of us!"

Volkner gave his friend a sleepy smile and weaved his fingers into Flint's. "I don't need a trophy. This trip still felt like a victory to me," he said, leaning up to share a chaste kiss with his companion.

Flint's mouth twitched. He managed to keep his composure for a few seconds, but he soon lost it, unable to resist laughing at his friend. "God, Volk, that was SO cheesy! It sounds like we're in a bad fanfic."

Volkner couldn't bring himself to be offended. He knew Flint was right, and he joined in the laughing fit. "It's too early, and I'm way too tired for this. Give me a break, will you?" When Flint calmed down, Volkner kept talking. "Speaking of clichés and cheesy sentiments, I have a proposition for you."

Flint's eyes brightened at this. "Oh?"

Volkner lifted his head and nodded. "Yeah, but we'll need a particular held item."

* * *

"You gave Electabuzz the Electirizer, right?"

"Of course I did! You have so little faith in me, Volk. It's not like I'd forget th—crap. One sec."

Volkner shook his head and muttered about irresponsible redheads. He looked around as he waited. Early summer had brought with it blooming berry plants, green grass, the buzz of happy Bug-types...and the end of their junior year. The Poké ball in his hand felt heavy. He shook his head to focus on the task at hand. "You almost done over there?"

"Haha!" Flint declared triumphantly. He held out his own Poké ball. "Ready?"

Volkner nodded with a trusting smile and held his ball up to match Flint's, and both placed their hands on the other's Poké balls. A soft glow emanated from them, and they radiated a soft warmth as they transferred hands...and owners.

Flint pulled away and held his new Pokémon in his hands. "I'll take good care of him, Volk."

Volkner mirrored Flint's actions. "Same here. Electivire's in good hands." He looked down and reached into his pocket. "By the way...um...take this, too," he said nervously, handing Flint a yellow disk.

Flint tilted his head curiously and took the item from Volkner. "TM 24? That's...Thunderbolt, right?"

Volkner averted his eyes and shuffled his feet. "Yeah. I-if I'm trusting you with Magmortar, y-you have to teach him that."

Flint's eyes widened, and he smirked. "Oh? And why's that?"

"Well...it's gonna be a little while before we see each other...and I don't want you to forget me while you're gone." Heat rushed unwarranted to his face as he turned pink in embarrassment.

Flint shook his head fondly. "Volk, it's only one summer. We'll be back at school in no time." He placed his new Magmortar's Poké ball in one of his deep pockets. "Besides, I could never forget you." He wrapped his arms around his partner's waist, and when Volkner looked into his eyes, he leaned in to give him a tender, reassuring kiss.

"ATTENTION!"

At the boisterous command, Volkner flinched in Flint's arms before breaking away to face the noise. He startled Flint by locking himself into a stiff salute. Seeing Volkner's intimidating father looking out at the front lawn from a doorway, Flint panicked and quickly attempted to copy Volkner's pose. Volkner subtly kicked his foot, and Flint rapidly shifted it to match his.

"SIR, YES, SIR!" Volkner responded automatically. Flint frantically tacked on his own response as well.

The muscular man marched forward with his hands behind his back. He stopped directly in front of Flint and narrowed his eyes at the young man. "PRIVATE."

It took a moment for Flint to realize the man was addressing him. He started to sweat. "Um...Surge...I mean, Lieutenant...um...yes, sir? Uh..." Volkner elbowed him roughly, and he stopped talking.

Lieutenant Surge glared coldly at him, clearly unimpressed, before he sighed in exasperation. "At ease."

Flint at least knew that one. He and Volkner both relaxed.

Surge turned to his son. "Volkner, you know the rules. You would do well to teach your _boyfriend_," he spat, throwing Flint a terrifying glare, "the regulations as well." He turned around for a second before looking back at Flint and punching him forcefully on the back, almost knocking him off his feet. "And fix that posture, private. No member of the Surge Division will be permitted to slouch in public like that. It's unsightly." He then marched back into the house.

When the door closed, Flint almost collapsed from the encounter, already exhausted. "Dear Arceus, that was freaking terrifying. How do you put up with that?!"

For his part, Volkner was actually giggling. "Dude, Flint...he accepts you. Dad likes you!"

Flint shot Volkner an incredulous look. "What the hell, man?! I thought for sure he was mad at us! He's not homophobic or anything?"

Volkner's grin spread farther. "No way, man. Soldiers just aren't allowed to show public displays of affection."

Flint's expression remained blank and shell-shocked. "So...I'm a soldier now." Volkner confirmed this with an emphatic nod. "Oh, Arceus, what have I gotten myself into?"

Volkner suppressed the last of his chuckles. "It's too late. If you ever run away, Dad'll hunt you down."

Flint scratched the back of his neck and grinned. "Guess I'm stuck with you for a while, then." He resisted the urge to hug Volkner again, fearing retribution of military proportions. "I'll see you next fall, Volk! Take care of Electivire, and don't you dare let him forget Fire Punch!"

Volkner watched his boyfriend dash off, a soft smile on his face. He looked down at the Poké ball in his hands and tossed it into the air, releasing his new Electivire. The Pokémon couldn't help but inspect its large muscles appreciatively, and it noticed Volkner with a fond grin. Volkner released Raichu as well and led both back inside. As he went, he addressed them both.

"Alright, I'm gonna need your help with this, guys. If we want Firewire to do well in next year's competition, we're gonna have to kick things up a notch! You guys ready?" The pair of Pokémon nodded enthusiastically. "Great! I have a few ideas. First thing's first..."

Lieutenant Surge watched from the other side of the room as Volkner and his Pokémon went crazy over robots and circuits. He shook his head and smiled—secretly, of course. His son was such a geek.

The end

* * *

Phew.

Smut isn't really my strong suit, so I'd appreciate any tips. I hope you enjoyed!


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